A boy and a girl playing music by candlelight

The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.

This relined canvas is held under tension and remains stable. The canvas is covered in an old yellowing and streaky varnish and has experienced abrasion over time particularly in the darker passages of the background. There is some historic restoration in the flesh tones, as well as scattered restoration in the boy’s costume. Ultraviolet examination reveals a thick layer of obscuring varnish with more recent restoration in the whites of the little girl’s apron, headdress and collar, as well as in the whites of the boy’s shirt and the darker passages of his costume. The artist’s painterly technique remains appreciable.